Lose weight or lose your job.

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Thousands of people working in the North Sea Oil industry in the UK are in danger of losing their jobs next year if they don't shed a bit of weight. Health and Safety rules declare that anyone being transported by helicopter to the oil rigs must not weigh more than 124.7 kilos ( 275 pounds). That many pounds sounds quite generous to me. The reason is that the helicopters, if the need should arise, cannot winch anyone from the sea who is heavier that that, especially when it is remembered that the weight of a stretcher needs to be added and the weight of another person needed to assist the one being winched. So it's either lose weight or lose your job - that statement sounds harsh when taken out of context. But really, why does the oil industry have so many people wobbling about on the wrong side of 124.7 kilos? Of course these people attract a high wage packet so it'll be interesting to see how many of them are motivated to slim down. Perhaps commercial airlines could adopt a similar policy for passengers - too fat to fly? After all, they used to sack cabin staff who gained weight.